<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 A000000 06/30/96
000 C000000 0000764719
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 3.0.a
000 J000000 A
001 A000000 MFS GOVERNMENT LIMITED MATURITY FUND
001 B000000 811-4253
001 C000000 6179545000
002 A000000 500 BOYLSTON STREET
002 B000000 BOSTON
002 C000000 MA
002 D010000 02116
003 000000 N
004 000000 N
005 000000 N
006 000000 N
007 A000000 N
007 B000000 0
007 C010100 1
007 C010200 2
007 C010300 3
007 C010400 4
007 C010500 5
007 C010600 6
007 C010700 7
007 C010800 8
007 C010900 9
007 C011000 10
008 A000001 MASSACHUSETTS FINANCIAL SERVICES COMPANY
008 B000001 A
008 C000001 801-17352
008 D010001 BOSTON
008 D020001 MA
008 D030001 02116
011 A000001 MFS FUND DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
011 B000001 8-27864
011 C010001 BOSTON
011 C020001 MA
011 C030001 02116
012 A000001 MFS SERVICE CENTER, INC.
012 B000001 84-1316
012 C010001 BOSTON
012 C020001 MA
012 C030001 02116
013 A000001 ERNST & YOUNG LLP
013 B010001 BOSTON
013 B020001 MA
<PAGE> PAGE 2
013 B030001 02116
015 A000001 STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
015 B000001 C
015 C010001 BOSTON
015 C020001 MA
015 C030001 02110
015 E010001 X
015 A000002 THE BANK OF NEW YORK
015 B000002 S
015 C010002 NEW YORK
015 C020002 NY
015 C030002 10286
015 E010002 X
018 000000 Y
019 A000000 Y
019 B000000 53
019 C000000 MASSFINSER
020 C000001 0
020 C000002 0
020 C000003 0
020 C000004 0
020 C000005 0
020 C000006 0
020 C000007 0
020 C000008 0
020 C000009 0
020 C000010 0
021 000000 0
022 A000001 GOLDMAN SACHS
022 B000001 13-5108880
022 C000001 2625344
022 D000001 122861
022 A000002 LEHMAN BROS
022 B000002 13-2518466
022 C000002 827678
022 D000002 73134
022 A000003 MERRILL LYNCH
022 B000003 13-5674085
022 C000003 396427
022 D000003 219601
022 A000004 UBS
022 B000004 13-2932996
022 C000004 242860
022 D000004 199882
022 A000005 PRUDENTIAL BACHE
022 B000005 22-2347336
022 C000005 397250
022 D000005 24506
022 A000006 MORGAN J. P. SECURITIES
022 B000006 13-3224016
022 C000006 167215
<PAGE> PAGE 3
022 D000006 115564
022 A000007 BANKERS TRUST
022 B000007 00-0000000
022 C000007 131482
022 D000007 132575
022 A000008 MORGAN STANLEY
022 B000008 13-2655998
022 C000008 83720
022 D000008 89295
022 A000009 SALOMON BROS.
022 B000009 13-3082694
022 C000009 53315
022 D000009 91768
022 A000010 PIPER JAFFREY
022 B000010 00-0000000
022 C000010 53091
022 D000010 54032
023 C000000 4991312
023 D000000 1194973
024 000000 N
025 D000001 0
025 D000002 0
025 D000003 0
025 D000004 0
025 D000005 0
025 D000006 0
025 D000007 0
025 D000008 0
026 A000000 Y
026 B000000 Y
026 C000000 N
026 D000000 Y
026 E000000 N
026 F000000 N
026 G010000 N
026 G020000 N
026 H000000 N
027 000000 Y
028 A010000 11013
028 A020000 1007
028 A030000 0
028 A040000 7959
028 B010000 11946
028 B020000 980
028 B030000 0
028 B040000 8826
028 C010000 12506
028 C020000 1028
028 C030000 0
028 C040000 6740
028 D010000 8030
<PAGE> PAGE 4
028 D020000 1031
028 D030000 0
028 D040000 12396
028 E010000 6265
028 E020000 995
028 E030000 0
028 E040000 10503
028 F010000 3422
028 F020000 971
028 F030000 0
028 F040000 7439
028 G010000 53182
028 G020000 6012
028 G030000 0
028 G040000 53863
028 H000000 29275
029 000000 Y
030 A000000 144
030 B000000 2.50
030 C000000 0.00
031 A000000 15
031 B000000 0
032 000000 129
033 000000 0
034 000000 Y
035 000000 59
036 A000000 N
036 B000000 0
037 000000 N
038 000000 0
039 000000 N
040 000000 Y
041 000000 Y
042 A000000 0
042 B000000 0
042 C000000 28
042 D000000 72
042 E000000 0
042 F000000 0
042 G000000 0
042 H000000 0
043 000000 444
044 000000 0
045 000000 Y
046 000000 N
047 000000 Y
048 000000 0.400
048 A010000 0
048 A020000 0.000
048 B010000 0
048 B020000 0.000
<PAGE> PAGE 5
048 C010000 0
048 C020000 0.000
048 D010000 0
048 D020000 0.000
048 E010000 0
048 E020000 0.000
048 F010000 0
048 F020000 0.000
048 G010000 0
048 G020000 0.000
048 H010000 0
048 H020000 0.000
048 I010000 0
048 I020000 0.000
048 J010000 0
048 J020000 0.000
048 K010000 0
048 K020000 0.000
049 000000 N
050 000000 N
051 000000 N
052 000000 N
053 A000000 Y
053 B000000 N
053 C000000 Y
054 A000000 Y
054 B000000 Y
054 C000000 N
054 D000000 N
054 E000000 N
054 F000000 N
054 G000000 N
054 H000000 Y
054 I000000 N
054 J000000 Y
054 K000000 N
054 L000000 N
054 M000000 Y
054 N000000 N
054 O000000 N
055 A000000 Y
055 B000000 N
056 000000 Y
057 000000 N
058 A000000 N
059 000000 Y
060 A000000 Y
060 B000000 Y
061 000000 1000
062 A000000 Y
062 B000000 0.0
<PAGE> PAGE 6
062 C000000 8.2
062 D000000 4.5
062 E000000 0.0
062 F000000 0.0
062 G000000 0.0
062 H000000 0.0
062 I000000 0.0
062 J000000 0.0
062 K000000 0.0
062 L000000 0.0
062 M000000 53.7
062 N000000 32.6
062 O000000 0.0
062 P000000 0.0
062 Q000000 0.0
062 R000000 0.0
063 A000000 0
063 B000000 6.2
064 A000000 Y
064 B000000 N
066 A000000 N
067 000000 N
068 A000000 N
068 B000000 N
069 000000 N
070 A010000 Y
070 A020000 Y
070 B010000 N
070 B020000 N
070 C010000 Y
070 C020000 N
070 D010000 N
070 D020000 N
070 E010000 Y
070 E020000 N
070 F010000 N
070 F020000 N
070 G010000 Y
070 G020000 N
070 H010000 N
070 H020000 N
070 I010000 N
070 I020000 N
070 J010000 Y
070 J020000 N
070 K010000 Y
070 K020000 N
070 L010000 N
070 L020000 N
070 M010000 N
070 M020000 N
<PAGE> PAGE 7
070 N010000 Y
070 N020000 N
070 O010000 Y
070 O020000 N
070 P010000 Y
070 P020000 N
070 Q010000 N
070 Q020000 N
070 R010000 N
070 R020000 N
071 A000000 568323
071 B000000 593047
071 C000000 282867
071 D000000 201
072 A000000 6
072 B000000 11030
072 C000000 0
072 D000000 0
072 E000000 0
072 F000000 602
072 G000000 0
072 H000000 0
072 I000000 237
072 J000000 61
072 K000000 20
072 L000000 1
072 M000000 17
072 N000000 1
072 O000000 0
072 P000000 0
072 Q000000 0
072 R000000 17
072 S000000 1
072 T000000 446
072 U000000 0
072 V000000 0
072 W000000 82
072 X000000 1485
072 Y000000 21
072 Z000000 9566
072AA000000 0
072BB000000 3633
072CC010000 0
072CC020000 5908
072DD010000 9193
072DD020000 886
072EE000000 0
073 A010000 0.2700
073 A020000 0.2300
073 B000000 0.0000
073 C000000 0.0000
<PAGE> PAGE 8
074 A000000 0
074 B000000 13360
074 C000000 24161
074 D000000 255706
074 E000000 0
074 F000000 0
074 G000000 0
074 H000000 0
074 I000000 0
074 J000000 0
074 K000000 682
074 L000000 3243
074 M000000 3
074 N000000 297155
074 O000000 0
074 P000000 122
074 Q000000 0
074 R010000 0
074 R020000 0
074 R030000 0
074 R040000 758
074 S000000 0
074 T000000 296275
074 U010000 28816
074 U020000 3916
074 V010000 8.43
074 V020000 8.41
074 W000000 0.0000
074 X000000 10100
074 Y000000 0
075 A000000 0
075 B000000 302771
076 000000 0.00
077 A000000 Y
077 D000000 Y
077 I000000 Y
078 000000 N
080 A000000 NATIONAL UNION INSURANCE CO.
080 B000000 ICI MUTUAL
080 C000000 65000
081 A000000 Y
081 B000000 109
082 A000000 Y
082 B000000 100
083 A000000 N
083 B000000 0
084 A000000 N
084 B000000 0
085 A000000 Y
085 B000000 N
086 A010000 0
<PAGE> PAGE 9
086 A020000 0
086 B010000 0
086 B020000 0
086 C010000 0
086 C020000 0
086 D010000 0
086 D020000 0
086 E010000 0
086 E020000 0
086 F010000 0
086 F020000 0
SIGNATURE JAMES O. YOST
TITLE ASSISTANT TREASURER
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000764719
<NAME> MFS GOVERNMENT LIMITED MATURITY
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 01
<NAME> CLASS A
<MULTIPLIER> 1
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1996
<PERIOD-END> JUN-30-1996
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 295289569
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 293227240
<RECEIVABLES> 3924603
<ASSETS-OTHER> 3329
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 179
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 297155351
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 879876
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 879876
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 318949180
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 28815636
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 28664988
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 160016
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> (20771392)
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> (2062329)
<NET-ASSETS> 296275475
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 11030463
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> (1464100)
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 9566363
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> (3633380)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (5908484)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 24499
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (7751955)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 3411445
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (3848873)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 588076
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> (3802977)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> (213793)
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> (17138012)
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 602409
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 1485090
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 302770982
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 8.68
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0.28
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (0.26)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (0.27)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0.00
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0.00
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 8.43
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 0.82
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0.00
</TABLE>
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000764719
<NAME> MFS GOVERNMENT LIMITED MATURITY
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 02
<NAME> CLASS B
<MULTIPLIER> 1
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1996
<PERIOD-END> JUN-30-1996
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 295289569
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 293227240
<RECEIVABLES> 3924603
<ASSETS-OTHER> 3329
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 179
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 297155351
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 879876
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 879876
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 318949180
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 3915804
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 3893789
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 160016
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> (20771392)
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> (2062329)
<NET-ASSETS> 296275475
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 11030463
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> (1464100)
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 9566363
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> (3633380)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (5908484)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 24499
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (886005)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 1167377
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (1211970)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 66608
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> (3802977)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> (213793)
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> (17138012)
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 602409
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 1485090
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 302770982
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 8.67
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0.23
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (0.26)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (0.23)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0.00
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0.00
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 8.41
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 1.69
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0.00
</TABLE>
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000764719
<NAME> MFS GOVERNMENT LIMITED MATURITY
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 03
<NAME> CLASS C
<MULTIPLIER> 1
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1996
<PERIOD-END> JUN-30-1996
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 295289569
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 293227240
<RECEIVABLES> 3924603
<ASSETS-OTHER> 3329
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 179
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 297155351
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 879876
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 879876
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 318949180
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 2434489
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 2007093
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 160016
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> (20771392)
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> (2062329)
<NET-ASSETS> 296275475
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 11030463
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> (1464100)
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 9566363
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> (3633380)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (5908484)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 24499
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (554594)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 1629795
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (1257509)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 55110
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> (3802977)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> (213793)
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> (17138012)
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 602409
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 1485090
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 302770982
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 8.65
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0.24
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (0.26)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (0.23)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0.00
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0.00
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 8.40
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 1.67
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0.00
</TABLE>
